Board & Staff
Laurent Joguet, Chair
Laurent Joguet, and his wife, Janna, humbly serve families and welcome refugees to their new homes in the United States, meeting their needs and helping them adjust to a new culture. Laurent, a native of France, knows firsthand the challenge of moving and learning new languages as he has lived on three continents. Laurent serves as the chairman of the board for FOR Alliance, where he also organizes and leads a boys’ soccer program. He leads children and where the they have learned soccer skills and life lessons to successfully participate in a local soccer league. Laurent has 15 years of experience in the corporate world, where he traveled and conducted international business with countries throughout Europe. He served in church leadership for more than a decade, including as the president of the church council in France for four years. Laurent also is an accomplished musician who plays the accordion and saxophone. He has directed children and youth choirs alongside Janna, who directed theater. Laurent studied music theory at a music conservatory in Ugine, France, for eight years and earned the equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in theological studies from Word of Life Bible Institute in Argentina.
Gina Casal, M.Ed., Vice Chair
Gina Casal, M.Ed., has witnessed the unique challenges refugee children encounter and has supported their families in tangible ways by meeting their needs and teaching English as a Second Language in her roles both as a public school teacher and as Vice Chair of Friends of Refugees Alliance. As the granddaughter of Cuban-American immigrants, Gina often heard stories of the challenges her family faced, and those experiences have shaped her deep empathy for refugee and immigrant families. Gina brings a wealth of experience to FOR Alliance, including, working in various church leadership roles, serving pre-school to middle school aged children, and co-founding non-profits in the area. She served as the Vice President and President for the Angel of Hope Memorial Garden, Tampa Bay, for 10 years, collaborating with the local government in Temple Terrace to establish the memorial garden and coordinating fundraising events to support and maintain the garden for families who lost children. Gina also co-chaired the National Bereaved Parents USA Conference in 2012, where she coordinated speakers, workshops, and other aspects of the conference. In her church role, Gina served as a part-time coordinator of Camp Agape at Idlewild Baptist Church, where she engaged children in mission opportunities in their local community. As a certified public school teacher, Gina has earned endorsements in Reading and ESOL and certifications in Exceptional Student Education and Educational Leadership. Gina holds Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Biblical Studies from Trinity College of Florida and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University.
Jessica Klipa, Ph.D., Executive Director
As a long-term advocate for local refugee families, Jessica Klipa, Ph.D., is committed to transforming the lives of women and children through the gift of literacy and language acquisition. Her past experience includes teaching English as a Second Language (ESOL) to new underage immigrants and refugees who earned their GED after coming to the United States. With 20 years of combined experience in journalism, public relations and education, Jessica has forged strategic partnerships with local non-profit leaders and churches to develop the FOR Alliance English as a Second Language (ESOL)/Literacy Program and create new opportunities for volunteers to connect with refugees in meaningful ways. She desires for refugee families to flourish through interactions with Christians at local churches as they make their new homes in the United States. Jessica was honored with the 2024 SupportHer Award from Refugee and Women's Migrant Initiative for making significant contributions to empower and advocate for refugee women and families, particularly through ESOL and literacy. She also is a past board member of the Florida Baptist Convention’s State Board of Missions. Jessica holds a Ph.D. in Leadership and Education from Barry University.
Janna Joguet, Executive Director of Programs & Events
Janna Joguet brings 25 years of experience as an ESOL teacher, tutor, and school administrator to FOR Alliance, where she comes alongside women and children to love and support them in many aspects of their lives. Passionate about teaching English to women and children in Tampa, Janna leads FOR Alliance English as a Second Language/ Literacy Programs and organizes events in collaboration with FOR Alliance partners. Prior to becoming the Executive Director of Programs and Special Events, Janna held many international educational roles. Janna served as the principal of a primary English school in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for six years. She also was the ESL Program Advisor to the board of directors for two years during her tenure there, and she directed theater alongside Laurent at the school. She also has taught Spanish and French in community groups throughout her career. Janna enjoys mentoring parents and educators and often serves as a motivational speaker at events. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Teaching EFL from the Instituto De Enseñanza Superior en Lenguas Vivas in Argentina.